Improvement in harvesters



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IRA REYNOLDS, OF REPUBLIC, OHIO.

INIPROVENI ENT IN HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. ILGSG, dated June 13, 1854.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA REYNOLDS, of the town of Republic, in the county of Seneca and State of Ohio, have invented certainnnew and useful Improvements in Reapin g and Mowing Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear,and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specication,in which- Figure l is a left-hand side elevation. Fig. 2 is a top view. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the under side of the receivingplatform. Fig. 4 is a top view of a portion of the cutting apparatus without the top plate. Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the same,sh0wing the guards. Fig. 6 is a right-hand side elevation of a portion of the driving-wheel. Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the platform in the line l 2, to show arake-tooth and the opening between the arm and top plate.

The letters of reference referto the same parts in the diEerent figures wherever they occur. Y

The principal frame, a, of the machine may be made of wood or cast-iron of suitable strength and dimensions.

b is the pole attached to the frame-work by the rod c.

d is the drivers seat, which may be set on springs or otherwise. fis a piece extending across and attached to the frame-work by bolts for the purpose of supporting the shaft g and attaching the levers t t'.

j is a frame to support one side of the graingatherer, and fastened to the main frame a by bolts.

la is an iron arm secured by bolts to the frame a, and extends out on the right side of the machine a sufficient distance to secure the desired width of cutting apparatus. To this arm is attached the frame lof the receiving-platform c', the guard m, and the front portion, a, of the platform c.

The driving-wheel e is made of castiron, with its laterally-projectingrim formed in regular curves and beveled oft', so as to form a thin edge. This wheel is secured to the shaft d2, which has its bearings on the right side of the frame a, and on a piece projecting inward from the opposite side of the frame depressed, seas to admit of the shaft g' passing the center of the wheel e. There is on the left side of this wheel a section of beveled cog-work, 0, so arranged that when the wheel revolves it alternately gearsinto the bevel-pinions p and y upon the shaft g, and gives it and the drum r, fixed thereon, a rotary reciprocating motion with intervalsofrest. There is also upon the shaft of the driving-wheel@ a pulley, `s, around which a cord, band,or chain is passed extending up and around the pulley t, which is secured to the cylinder shaft u and forms the driving part of the grain-gatherer. The cyl- `inder shaft u revolves upon a rock shaft, 'u'. This shaft is supported on the left by the framework j, while the opposite end is supported by an upright, w, which is bolted to the guard m.

There are also two other pulleys, a', fixed to the cylinder-shaft fu, with notches in their peripheries to force the rotation of the slats z for the purpose of gathering the grain.

The rock-shaft c is formed with two arms, a' and b', projecting forward, carrying at their extremities two other pulleys, y y, which are connected respectively with the pulleys .as w by bands. The slats z cross from one of these bands to the other, and are attached thereto l at equal distances and fall into the notches in the pulleys. The arm a projects to the rear of. the rock-shaft, and is connected with the platform c by an adjustable spiral spring of sufficient strength Vto balance the grain-gatherer and partially support the platform c', to which it is attached at its lower end. To the other end of the rock-shaft@ is fixed a lever, d', extending to the drivers seat and furnished with a spring latch or stop, which take-s into holes in the framej, constituting, with the before-described parts, an adjustable spring-balanced grain-gatherer, to be raised or lowered by the driver at pleasure to accommodate it to the grain in whatever position it may be, whether lodged or otherwise, catching the heads of the grain at the lowest point and gradually raising them as the machine advances, thus bringing the operation of gathering the grain entirely under the control of the driver.

The levers t' 'i are placed longitudinally and work on one common fulcrurn near their center. The forward portion of these levers are supplied with friction-rollers, and are connected by a vibrating lever, e', the friction-rollers working upon the rim or edge of the regularly curved or corrugated driving wheel e. This edge is sharpened to prevent the accumulation of earth or other substances; or it may be made Ysquare and the friction-rollers brought to an edge for the same purpose. The rollers, being connected by the vibrating lever e', move the levers t' t', which, being pivoted at their other extremities to two bars, h and i', to which the double share-blades are attached, produce a transverse motion of the saine. The vibrating lever e is' pivoted at its center to an arm, g', projecting from the frame a. Another friction-roller supports the wheel e on the opposite side. Both of these can be dispensed with by working the levers fi t' with friction-rollers in a slot in the rim of the wheel with the same curvatures.

The double-ed ged share-blades or cutters o land s are made of steel of suitable size, a portion of their length being beveled off, so as to form keen cutting-edges on both sides at an angle from their inward surfaces, which are smooth and fiat. These blades are arranged one above the other alternately, with their ilat surfaces together. The lower portions, s', are bent downward, so as to receive the bars It and i between them and the upper blades, e. The blades s are pivoted near their centers to the arm k, and at their rear ends to the reciprocating bar t', and pointed at their forward ends when used without the guards c. Should they be used with the guards the pointed portion is out off, leaving the blade slightly rounded, as seen at t', Fig. 4.

The upper portions are left straight and dat on their inward surfaces, and made pointed at their forward ends, whether used with or without the guards. They are fitted down closely to the reciprocating bar lc', to which they are pivoted, and secured to the arm 7c by means of temper-screws r', which depress and hold their several cutting-edges firm against the lower blades and act as fulcrums, upon which they turn. They also pass through and secure the guard-plate fw close to the top of the blades, thus securing them from the accumulation of any substances which may prevent their free action. Figa is a top view of a portion of the cutting apparatus, showing the blades with the plate w'detached. Fig.5is a bottom view, showing the guards or fenders v', which are arranged under the centers of thelower blades.

The platform c is made of strips of thin iron and plank secured to each other, and extend from one side ofthe frame-work l to the other, and are so arranged and secured thereto as to form channels for the rake-teeth m to pass between them. The strips of plank, being narv .rower than the iron, leave flanges extending out beyond the plank, on which the tooth-carrier l freely traverses. The frontportion of this platform is secured to the arm 7c by means of screws or bolts which pass through the iron portion and guard-plate w', as seen in Fig. 7 also through several short pillars, f2, as seen .ii the same figure. These pillars areintended to support the guard-plate and keep it from the cutter-blades; also to keep the space 1n the rear of the cutter-blades vope'n for the free egress of any substance which might otherwise accumulate. The guard m is firmly secured to the arm 7c, and forms a support for one end of the adjustable lever x', which supports the carrying-wheel z', which bears up the arm k and rear portion of the platform. There are small fenders I)2 attached to the frame l and the stri ps of .the platform. They are intended to guide the grain as it falls upon the platform, thus leaving the space in rear of the teeth open and clear. The shield ly is for the protection ofthe frame Z.

The carriers to which the rake-teeth m are attached are made of cast-iron, with apertures in which the fulcrums of the teeth are placed. In front`they have each a downward projection, which traverses between the iron portions of .the platform, which act as guides. The upper portion rests upon them, and the carriers are held down by spring cross-pieces, which bear upon the under sideof the platform.

The rake-teeth are made of iron and bentto an angle of aboutone hundred and thirty-five degrees at their fulcrums, where there are small heels resting on the carrier when the upper portion of the tooth is perpendicular. The lower portions of the teeth are connected below the platform with each other by a rod, a', extending through holes l in the lower ends thereof. v To the rod a are attached two cords, c2, wound in different directions round the rollers o and p', to which their ends are attached.

There is also another cord, e2, wound roundv the rollers o and p in opposite directions to those attached to the rod a. The drumfr receives its rotary reciprocating motion from the drivin g-wheel e by the means before described, and moves the roller o', which, by means of the cord e2 and the cords c2, wound also round the roller p', produces the motion in the rake which causes it to traverse from side to side of the receiving-platform. The peculiar shape of the teeth causes them, when drawn back by the rod n', to be laid down in the channels of the platform and pass under the grain, and the reversemotiomwhich draws them forward, elevates them at the same time to a perpendicular position, thus carrying or pushing the grain off at the side of the platform. The reciprocating motions described above may be produced by gearing.

The operation of the machine is as follows when put in motion The driver upon the seat d, by means of the lever d, raises or depresses the forward part of the gatherer, according to the height of the grain. lf any portion of it is lodged or bent forward, it lifts the heads by its slats, and gradually raises it to an upright posi tion and deposits it when cut upon the platform.

Another advantage of this gatherer is the great saving in leverage, by using radii ofless length than those heretoforeemployed in the ordinary reel; and, also, the extension of the arm a. `to

- form, and rake maybe removed.

the rear not only balances the gatherer, but 1. The' arrangement of a double series ot also supports. a portion ot' the weightV ot' the double-edged shear-blades supported at their platform. rear ends by the reciprocating bars to which The double-edged shear blades or Glitters, they are pivoted, and regulated by temperoperated by thedriving-Wheel, which eommuniscrews, substantially as described, and for the Cates a reciprocating motion to the bars to I purposes set forth. which the blades arepivoteil, out the grain, 2. The grain-gatherer, so arranged that its which then falls upon the platform. The recipforward portion can be elevated or depressed roeating rake, advancing with its teeth elefrom `the drivers seat Without stopping the vated, clears the platform ofthe out grain, and machine, substantially in the manner and for deposits it in bundles ou the ground at the the purposes set forth. side of the machine, ready for the binder, and In testimony whereof I have hereunto subthen returns with the teeth depressedto repeat scribed my name this 30th day of January, the opera-tion. 1854. y When used for mowing the gatherer, plat- IRA REYNOLDS.

Having thus fully described 'my improve- Witnesses: ments, what I claim as my invention, and de CEAS. EVERETT, sire to secure by Letters Patent, isf I A. DUVALL. 

